Full-Time Book Keeper

Dsdurban; Durban; On-site; ZAR 50 000 - 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A renowned educational institution in Durban is seeking a detail-oriented full-time Bookkeeper to maintain financial records and ensure compliance with SARS regulations. The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of bookkeeping experience, preferably in an educational environment, and proficiency in accounting software. This role offers competitive salary, 15 annual leave days, and opportunities for professional development.

Benefits

15 annual leave days

Competitive salary

Opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• Matric certificate and relevant qualification are preferred.
• 3-5 years of bookkeeping experience, ideally in education or non-profit.
• Knowledge of South African tax laws, including VAT and PAYE.

Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records and ensure compliance with SARS regulations.
• Process sales transactions and maintain debtors' records.
• Reconcile petty cash and bank statements monthly.

Skills

Attention to detail

Numerical aptitude

Problem-solving abilities

Proficiency in payroll systems

Strong computer skills (Microsoft Excel)

Education

National Diploma in Accounting or Bookkeeping

Tools

Pastel

QuickBooks

Sage

Job description

Position Summary

The Deutsche Schule Durban (DSD) is seeking a detail-oriented and experienced full-time Bookkeeper to join our administrative team.

This role is essential for maintaining accurate financial records, ensuring compliance with South African Revenue Service (SARS) regulations, and supporting the school's operational efficiency.

The position operates during normal business hours (typically 08:00 to 16:30, Monday to Friday) and includes 15 annual leave days per annum.

The successful candidate will report to the School's Finance Director with a dotted line to the Principal and Bursar, and play a key role in safeguarding our financial integrity.

Key Responsibilities

• Sales and Debtors Management: Processing all sales transactions (e.g., tuition fees, event payments) using accounting software; maintaining accurate debtors' records; issuing invoices and statements; following up on overdue accounts; and managing collections to minimize bad debts.
• Purchases and Creditors Management: Handling purchase transactions for school supplies, utilities, and services; maintaining creditors' records; verifying supplier invoices against purchase orders; processing payments; and negotiating terms where applicable to optimize cash flow.
• Banking and Reconciliation: Reconciling petty cash and bank statements with internal records monthly; processing bank transfers, deposits, and electronic payments; maintaining banking records; detecting and resolving discrepancies; and ensuring secure handling of financial instruments.
• School Uniform Shop Operations: Processing transactions for uniform sales; maintaining inventory records including stock levels, purchases, and sales; conducting periodic stock counts; managing supplier relationships for uniforms; and reporting on shop profitability.
• Fixed Assets Management: Recording acquisitions, disposals, and depreciations of fixed assets (e.g., furniture, equipment, vehicles); maintaining an asset register; ensuring compliance with accounting standards for capitalization and valuation; and preparing depreciation schedules.
• Accounting Journals and General Ledger: Processing adjusting journal entries; maintaining the general ledger (GL) accounts; ensuring all transactions are accurately coded and classified; and supporting month-end and year-end closings.
• Accruals, Deferrals, and Provisions: Calculating and processing accruals (e.g., unpaid expenses), deferrals (e.g., prepaid income), and provisions (e.g., for doubtful debts or warranties); ensuring these align with accrual accounting principles and tax requirements.
• Reconciliations: Performing regular reconciliations of debtors, creditors, inventory, bank accounts, fixed assets, and all GL accounts; identifying variances; investigating root causes; and implementing corrective actions to maintain financial accuracy.
• Payroll Processing: Managing payroll in the designated payroll system, including calculating salaries, deductions (e.g., PAYE, UIF), bonuses, and leave accruals; processing timesheets and overtime; ensuring compliance with labor laws; and preparing / submitting payroll reports to SARS (e.g., EMP, EMP reconciliations).
• Additional Duties (Expanded for Completeness): Assisting with budgeting and forecasting by providing financial data and variance analysis; preparing financial statements, trial balances, and management reports for internal review; ensuring compliance with IFRS / GAAP standards, SARS regulations, and school policies; filing tax returns and responding to audits; maintaining confidentiality of financial data and implementing internal controls to prevent fraud; collaborating with auditors, suppliers, and school staff on financial matters; utilizing accounting software (e.g., Pastel, QuickBooks, or Sage) proficiently; performing data backups and system maintenance.
• Monitoring cash flow: Monitoring cash flow and advising on financial health.
• Ad-hoc tasks: Any ad-hoc administrative tasks related to finance, such as expense tracking or grant reporting.
• Reporting: Maintain and prepare financial reports by project code and other reporting dimensions.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Matric certificate; a relevant qualification (e.g., National Diploma in Accounting or Bookkeeping) is preferred.
• At least 3-5 years of bookkeeping experience, ideally in an educational or non-profit environment.
• Proficiency in payroll systems and SARS eFiling; knowledge of South African tax laws (e.g., VAT, PAYE).
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Excel and accounting software.
• Excellent attention to detail, numerical aptitude, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a fast-paced school setting.

Benefits and Terms

• Full-time employment aligned to normal business hours.
• 15 annual leave days per annum.
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience (to be discussed).
• Opportunities for professional development and a supportive team environment.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit a CV, cover letter, and references to Attention for the Principal : Bookkeeper by 17:00, Monday, 3 November.

Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for interviews.

Deutsche Schule Durban – The appointment of candidates is at the sole discretion of the school.

Applicants are invited from South African citizens and persons with a legal work permit.

An application will not in itself entitle the applicant to an interview or appointment, and failure to meet the minimum requirements of the advertised post will result in applicants automatically disqualifying themselves from consideration.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

If you have not heard from Deutsche Schule Durban within 10 days of the closing date, please assume that you have been unsuccessful in your application.

Deutsche Schule Durban, in line with POPIA (Protection of Personal Information Act) will attempt to ensure the confidentiality of all applicants for this role.

All reasonable measures will be in place to protect personal information but will be used in the recruitment, selection, and reporting process.

By submitting your application for this position, you are recognising and accepting this disclaimer.

Our vision is to provide a holistic education of a high standard in both German and English for all children of our society, in a Christian context, regardless of background, culture and religion, which will prepare them for a globalised world.